Should a Church forgive a pastor for deceiving police during a stressful moment?

[Marathoner]

We should be careful in how we judge others. This is not to say we should refrain from judgment but rather, remember the mercy and goodness of the Lord for our own sake.  Were we not transgressors ourselves? Consider David Berkowitz, a serial killer known by the moniker "the Son of Sam." He's spending the rest of his life in prison where it was reported he surrendered to Jesus Christ. 

He's led more than one person to the Son of God via correspondence. Therefore we should be careful in how we judge others, especially the Lord's servants who are nearest and dearest to us. The Lord is merciful and swift to forgive trespass so we in turn should be forgiving as well as merciful toward others. Based upon what was presented in the OP and this topic, this pastor confessed the error of his initial denial. That's the fruit of repentance, friends... so why judge him harshly?

[Guest]

Why put temptation in the path of someone in a position of authority who has already shown a weakness that might be harmful to those who rely on his/her properly interpretation of God's wisdom?  Why put a convicted child molester in charge of a boy or girl scout troop?  Why put a former drug user and liar in charge of properly interpreting God's wisdom?  Forgiveness is one thing, placement of an individual in a place of authority is another. 

Qualifications for Overseers (NASB)

1 Timothy 3:1  It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.
1 Timothy 3:2  An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
1 Timothy 3:3  not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.
1 Timothy 3:4  He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity
1 Timothy 3:5  (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),
1 Timothy 3:6  and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.
1 Timothy 3:7  And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

[TheBlade]

Did Jesus forgive that Church? I almost thing this was a trick question. 70*7.

[ayin jade]

2 hours ago, Knotical said:

I wasn't talking about allowing them to remain the same position.  I was talking about having someone be considered for a call as a pastor in your church and they are a convicted sex offender.  Would you recommend your church call someone with that kind of history?

No, because it violates what the biblical requirements are for a pastor. 

[Knotical]

3 hours ago, ayin jade said:

No, because it violates what the biblical requirements are for a pastor. 

But if he was forgiven, and did not show any signs of going back to his old ways, would he then be fit to serve as a pastor?

[Tristen]

“Is the deception worse than the addiction issues? Should they forgive him for the deception also since that goes hand in hand with addiction?”

These are not separate issues. The deception is simply another manifestation of the addictive behaviour. He was under the influence of alcohol, and he panicked. That is a much lessor issue than His broader struggle with addiction. If anything, he should have been temporarily suspended so he could work on his problem with addiction - with a view to restore him.

My suspicion is that someone in the church is looking for another reason to undermine the Pastor's authority. Politics in the church can be toxic and ungraceful.

 

[ayin jade]

23 minutes ago, Knotical said:

But if he was forgiven, and did not show any signs of going back to his old ways, would he then be fit to serve as a pastor?

Not according to the biblical requirements for a pastor. He is to be above reproach.

1 Timothy 3 

2 Then it behooves the overseer to be without reproach, husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, well-ordered, hospitable, apt at teaching, 3 not a drunkard, not contentious, not greedy of ill gain, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous, 4 ruling his own house well, having children in subjection with all honor. 5 (For if a man does not know to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
 

[Knotical]

2 minutes ago, ayin jade said:

Not according to the biblical requirements for a pastor. He is to be above reproach.

1 Timothy 3 

2 Then it behooves the overseer to be without reproach, husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, well-ordered, hospitable, apt at teaching, 3 not a drunkard, not contentious, not greedy of ill gain, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous, 4 ruling his own house well, having children in subjection with all honor. 5 (For if a man does not know to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
 

I am aware of what the bible says.  But if someone has been forgiven by God then everything should be forgotten, which means he would, at that point, be above reproach, right?

[R. Hartono]

12 hours ago, ReneeIW said:

you should not judge someone for what they did before they were born again.

Did he do it be4 being born again ? Isnt he alrdy a pastor ? Parroting Biblical verses is easy, from their fruits u can recognize them

Edited July 16, 2020 by R. Hartono

[Guest theElect777]

13 hours ago, ReneeIW said:

A church’s pastor was arrested for DUI. He admitted to the arrest and his struggle with alcoholism and entered into rehab and has been sober since.
However, months after his arrest someone read the police report  and found out that when he was being processed at the police station, he took a bag of white powder out of his pocket and threw it under a table. The cop saw him and asked what it was and the pastor said he it was not his and he didn’t know where it came from. The bag was sent to the lab and it tested positive for cocaine.

The Pastor later admitted it was his.
Apparently, the church also knew that he had a past addiction to drugs from his youth and believed his stint in rehab was sufficient to forgive him for relapsing. But they want him to step down now for deceiving the police and throwing the bag under the table. Is the deception worse than the addiction issues? Should they forgive him for the deception also since that goes hand in hand with addiction?

This entire story puts me in mind of king David committing Adultery with Bathsheba, finding out she is pregnant, tries to have her husband come home and be with her to claim it is his child, then has the husband killed, and finally tries to look like a good guy by marrying a widower.   

 

Then comes the Prophet.   From then the child dies, ultimately David's son kills his brother, then sleeps with David's women for all of Israel to see, then is killed himself.   All along David is running scared his sons are going to kill him.   This does not include what happens to David's daughter.   All these things happened over a few sins he tried to cover up.

 

But the gist of what I am pointing out is that God never took away the kingdom from David.   And ultimately, David passed it onto Solomon, his son.   And David committed these sins under the Mosaic Law and God still forgave him and restored him.

 

I don't want anyone to think I am green lighting pastors here.   But I think it is God's job to choose to sit this pastor, not the board/congregations job.   I am not opposed to some mandatory rules the pastor needs to abide by.   But if they knew this pastor had once struggled with such substance abuse, lying seems to be a part of using drugs.  Lying to oneself and others.

Edited July 16, 2020 by theElect777